Black Beauty Written by Anna Sewell

I liked this book. It talks about how dreadfully horses and other animals were treated in the 1800s from the view of a well-bred horse who lived in a great place and got nicely treated, but got sold and then very badly treated in the remainder of his life.

Plot line Black Beauty is born, taught not to bite or kick, and is broken in. He also watches Rob Roy, his brother, get killed in a hunting accident. BeginningRising Action Beauty is sent to live at Birtwick. There he meets Ginger and Merrylegs and they become friends. Beauty also meets two grooms, John Manly, and James Howard. Beauty saves his master and Johns life one night, for they wouldve been swept away by a river. James is offered a job at another place, but before he leaves, he rescues Black Beauty and Ginger from a burning building. Joe Green replaces James Howard. After Beauty gallops 16 miles straight to save his mistresss life, Joe nearly kills Beauty by giving him cold water and not putting a cloth on. Beauty leaves Birtwick after the three happiest years of his life, for the mistress was ill and had to move somewhere warm. Black Beauty was sold to the Earl of W- at Earshall, where he once again galloped to save a ladys life. After this, the coachman, Reuben Smith, got drunk, broke Beautys knees, and died. He then became a job-horse. After a bad accident, he was sold to another man whose doctor had advised him to get a horse. After two struggles with coachmen, He was sold again and sent to a horse-fair. He was then bought by Jerry Barker, a cab driver in London.

Plot line (continued) In London, Jerry treated Black Beauty kindly and never overworked him. However, one day Beauty ran into Ginger, who was also a cab horse. Her last words to Beauty were You were the only friend I ever had. (Black Beauty page 156) A little while after that a dead cab horse came by. It looked exactly like Ginger. Later he saw a pony that looked a lot like Merrylegs being whipped. After the winter had passed, however, Jerry had been given a way out of the hard life that the cab drivers must live, so he took it and sold Black Beauty to a corn dealer and a baker. At his new home, Beauty had hard loads uphill in a bearing rein. He almost went blind, too. He did recover and was sold to a large cab owner. Rising ActionClimaxConclusion He was treated terribly at this cab owners stables and could never rest. One man had brought too much luggage and Black Beauty couldnt take it any longer. Beauty collapsed. After he collapsed, Black Beauty was sent to another horse fair. He was bought by Farmer Thoroughgood. At his farm, Beauty recovered from many years of hardships. One summer day, he was brought to the Bloomefields and was bought. Joe Green was his coachman. Black Beauty had finally reached his last home.

Protagonist Black Beauty Always does what he is told. Kind Never bites nor kicks Highly-bredTrust worthy Always tries to hold his head up high Never stops trying his best to please his master A fantastic friend

Antagonist Cruel humans Never seem to think about horses pain Do anything that they thinlk looks good Expect the horse to do whatever he needs, and fast

Theme Good things happen to those who deserve it People who obey laws dont go to jail. People who try hard usually succeed. People who dont obey laws go to jail. People who dont try dont succeed. Beauty tried hard to please his masters and ended up in a great home. Jerry always tried to be a good cab driver even though he didnt really like it and went to live in a really nice place. The cab owner didnt care about his horses, and lost two of his best.